*This interview was taken via Instagram DMs*
The SUNY Oswego meme account has been running for over a year now and the nihilistic memes on the page have kept students entertained since then.
Not a lot of people know who the person behind the account is but they take pride in their love-hate relationship with Oswego and their ironic sense of humor. The person behind the page is a non-binary student majoring within the English & Creative Writing department who use they/them pronouns. I asked them a few questions about what it feels like to run the page.
Q. How has it felt running this account?
“Running this account has always felt ironic to me because I kinda hate this school. I’m just good at making memes but it definitely doesn’t come from a place of love for Oswego which I’m sure you can see if you scroll through it. Sometimes it weirdly made me feel more connected to Oswego too because I don’t have many friends here but at least I can contribute funny jokes to the community. Also whenever I make a post about not liking Oswego and someone comments how they also don’t like it I’m like ‘Yeah at least I’m not the only one.’”
Q. How have you been creating content for the page? Has it been all you or have other people given you ideas?
“I’d say 95% of the account is just my original content the other 5% is people sending in their ideas or their own fully formed memes. I follow a lot of meme accounts so I often see formats of memes and think of how I could just apply that format onto something Oswego specific. Aside from the formats though sometimes it’s just commentary on Oswego but with dramatic fonts for comedic effect. I already honestly speak in meme format in my brain so it comes very natural for me.”
Q. With all the likes/comments and shares that you get on the account, how has the feedback from people been? How has it made you feel?
“I just like when people comment because the interaction helps me figure out what kinda content people like so I can do more of it. The only ‘bad’ comment I got was someone from a sorority commenting my personal instagram @ because they were mad that I made a post clowning on them for being in large groups, because you know the whole pandemic thing, last semester. I just deleted the comment and moved on though. I don’t mind that a few people know who I am but I’d rather keep the account mostly anonymous because I think the mystery makes it better.”
Q. Why did you choose to stay anonymous? Especially when people knowing you would give you a lot more clout?
“A few reasons– one if someone has an issue with the account I don’t want them to start hating on me on my personal social media, also until I graduate I don’t want the institution to know it’s me because a ton of jokes are pretty Oswego critical, if not anti-Oswego. I’m sure the college wouldn’t enjoy the content on this account; it doesn’t put the school in a very positive light. I might do a face reveal after graduation but I also might not. I haven’t decided yet. I’m satisfied with the ‘clout’ I get from telling people I run the account in person. Like if someone shows me a meme from it or mentions it I’ll say it’s me and I think that’s like a million times better and funnier because it’s unexpected. Sometimes people will message me on my personal account asking if I run the meme account and I’ll just say yeah cause it got pretty obvious overtime.”
Q. Has anyone come at you for running the meme account?
“Nah not really besides sorority shawty. I’ve had people ask to buy the account or for them to run it but I honestly think I’m best suited to run it because 1. I’m funny and can translate my humor into memes consistently and 2. Oswego is very white and conservative as a town. I’m biracial and very queer so I think it’s important to have someone running the account that can make inclusive posts like how I’ve made some memes about the Oswego GSA merchandise. When I was posting about BLM I had some people telling me to stop it because it’s too political. Obviously most of the posts aren’t about being inclusive, they’re just funny but i think it’s nice that there are good ones like the trans laker meme I made.”
Q. How much did people offer to buy the account for?
“I think it was like $50 or $100.”
Q. What kind of content do you hope to keep putting out for as long as you run the account?
“Same as always to be honest, just funny memes that are specific to the Oswego experience. If anything I hope eventually the memes will show Oswego in a better light. But I don’t know because a lot of the memes are influenced by my perception of Oswego. I do try to make content that most people would relate to though not just me. Like for example I don’t go to the bars but I know that’s a big thing here so I’ve made memes about those despite never being in one.”
Q. What do you think you’ll do once you graduate?
“I think I’ll hand it off to someone else, like set up a Google quiz thing and ask people to submit memes so I can give it to someone funny. I would probably keep the email and password the same though so I could still post on it occasionally. I think it would be funny if I did a face reveal after I graduate too.”
Q. Last question, what is your name? Do you want to give us an identity reveal? Or maybe you want to tell the readers?
“I don’t think I will right now but if you pinky swear, I might tell you who I am.”
You can check out sunyoswegomemes on Instagram here!